Is this free energy ?

[slgrieb]

Street, I think you are too rational to be posting responses to this thread, given it's current theme. Snort some whiskey, drink some cocaine, and call us in the morning. BTW, if you just can't clear your head of intelligent thought, a couple of moderately-hard hammer blows may help. A less painful alternative may be trying to have a converstion with your wife.

[confus-ed]

I think I may well need to snort some whiskey & drink some cocaine ! .. somehow or other the 'glow in the dark' option is in the lead on my obviously not rigged well enough poll ! ..

[slgrieb]

-ed, you have to realise that the possiblities for nuclear accidents and poorly planned waste disposal schemes are limitless. Right after Chernobyl I tried to get some friends to invest in a company to manufacture cookware from the debris. Gosh, it seemed like a no brainer. Energy costs were high, and what could be better that a line of cookware that needed no external energy source to cook your food. The radiation even sterilized your food (well, OK, perhaps you and your family as well) and so your leftovers could be safely stored for extended periods.

I even storyboarded our first commercial and shot a home video quality demo.

Imagine if you will a 20-something blonde with big hair and big, uh, talent is in her kitchen almost on the verge of tears. "Oh, my!" she says. "I overslept in the hot tub after my massage! How will I ever have dinner ready on time?"

Flash of light like the Enterprise going into warp. You know, the original Enterprise. From the original Star Trek and all.

Our Harried Homemaker turns to her right and exclaims, "It's the Mutant King!"

The Mutant King looks a lot like the Burger King King, except he has six fingers on his left hand, tentacles for fingers on his right hand, and a 3rd eye in the middle of his forehead.

"Never fear! my lady!" quoths he, "With Cernobyl cookware, you can prepare dinner for your Lord and Pages in half the time of ordinary cookware!"

Cut to scene of Homemaker and King in the kitchen surrounded by a sumptuous 6 course spread.

"Oh, Mutant King, how can I ever thank you?'

"Just remember fair lady, why make your meals ordinary when you can make them "Cher-NOBLE!" Fade to black.

If the Russians hadn't been in denial about the event and refused to sell us debris, I think I would be a millionaire today.

[confus-ed]

..Imagine if you will a 20-something blonde with big hair and big, uh...

Hell .. that's a whole better topic than mine !

I guess that's the (w)hole problem ? Holes in the ground are insufficiently 'sexy' compared to Nuclear technology, I'd never even heard of geothermal systems until somebody else said to me that they are the most viable renewable energy source we have, as we've mastered the technology to use it long since, I just wish we'd mastered the technology behind Nuclear power stations half as well as all the politicians who like to promote that as 'clean' seem to think we have ..

[slgrieb]

Okay, okay. If we just must be serious for a moment, I think nuclear power at the current state of the art is not a good idea. Plants cost too much to build (only if we want them to be safe, you know), maintenence is costly, and decommissioning a plant is hellacious. And of course, there is that little problem of waste "disposal", which actually means storage.

My last up close and personal experience with nuclear power was 1988 or so when Austin, TX was buying into the South Texas Nuclear project. Houston Power and Lighting pitched this as super cheap power. yeah. Huge cost over-runs, construction delays. Austin (with a 25% share) stayed in mostly because the costs of getting out (in litigation, costs of replacing generating capacity with other sources, and so on) were higher than just biting the bullet. The city did indeed sell some of its shares in the nuke (currently 16% ownership), and became a major investor in the Fayette Coal Plant along with the Lower Colorado River Authority.

Tiresome to read perhaps, but more tiresome for me to remember. Hang in there.

My bottom line on nuclear is I don't like it, but I might as well get ready for more of it. The entire housing and building industry is centered around centrally supplied electric power. Special designs like subterranean homes are tremendously energy efficient, but aren't likely to be mass produced in the near future. Geothermal heating/cooling systems and wind generators cost a bit to retrofit and have long payoffs. Unfortunately, all these better alternatives aren't expedient for the masses

So, while Nuclear sucks, it sucks less in terms of environmental issues (greenhouse gasses, etc) in the short term, and individuals don't have to spend their own money to be energy efficient. Unfortunately that's all that matters to most folk.

[confus-ed]

..My bottom line on nuclear is I don't like it, but I might as well get ready for more of it..

That sums it up beautifully ..

Now take me back to that blonde again ! ..